'Dancing With The Stars' Gets Serious

Jacoby Jones earned his highest score yet, but was beaten in a dance off.

The “Dancing With The Stars” competition is starting to get serious.

After getting their highest marks of the season, Jacoby Jones and partner Karina Smirnoff’s good vibes didn’t last long.

The pair was challenged by the show’s leading couple, Zendaya Coleman and Val Chmerkovskiy, to a dance off.

“Let’s pick on somebody our own size,” said Chmerkovskiy, who got to choose the couple they wanted to dance against. They had easier competition to pick from.

Jones was not happy, and did not mask his face as he accepted the challenge. His television goofiness faded and the football competitor arose. "You know we jiving," he fired back with a disgusted face.

Jones and Smirnoff unanimously lost the jive dance off, but the judges said it was a tough call. It was a display that the football power couple isn’t in the lead in “Dancing With The Stars” but are one of the top contenders.

“It was like watching two champions, really,” judge Bruno Toniolisaid.

Before their dance off, Jones and Smirnoff did a high-flying version of the salsa and earned their best score yet – straight 9s for a cumulative 27.

It wasn’t enough to earn them immunity from performing in a dance-off challenge. Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough earned that with a score of 29. The high score of the night was turned in by Alexandra Raisman and Mark Ballas, who had a 32 when adding the three points from their dance-off victory.

Before the dance offs, Jones and Smirnoff kicked off Latin Night with a bang.

The salsa was right up Jones’ alley. While more technical dances have given him and his pigeon toes problems, Jones has aced the sultrier, hip-moving dances. He swung Smirnoff all over the stage and leapt into her awaiting arms at one point.

“I’ve never done salsa before, but it’s a fun dance,” Jones said. “You just get loose in it. That’s what I like and that’s what fits my personality.”

While Jones is advancing towards the finals, and clearly showed he has plans to win the competition, his mind is still somewhat on football as many of his teammates are back to voluntary work.

“When I get back to the Baltimore Ravens, I’m going to talk so much trash about conditioning," Jones said. "Running 110 [yards] is nothing like dancing for a minute, 30 seconds.

“I’ve got so many end zone dances planned I cannot wait.”

Here’s what the judges said about Jones’ salsa:

Len Goodman: “I don’t know what’s going on. Was that an earthquake or did you just rock this place? You came out looking great; the cool dude, the hot chick. Really was first rate. I would have liked a few less lifts if I’m honest. You came out and you shook this place up. It was fabulous. I would have liked a few less lifts because you’re so rhythmic, you’re so hot in your moves. I think you may have detracted a little bit from it. But overall the package was great.”

Bruno Tonioli: “Jacoby, the fiesta has begun. Your hips have more punch than a megamix. To the side, to the front, to the back, to the side. And Karina, you spend more time flying around than Iron Man. You’re ready for the fourth movie. I loved it.”

Carrie Ann Inaba: “What you do is so incredible. It’s like you could fart the salsa. I mean it’s so in your body. That’s what I kept thinking, ‘It’s like man, that guy is farting salsa.’ Excuse me, I’m just telling it like it is. What you do is you get down and dirty and you just dance. Forget the technique. Of all the dances, the salsa doesn’t need that much technique. It needs the flava. So you had the right flava fart.”

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